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Get instant cash for your old electronics

Gail Hoffer — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 12:00:49 +0000

Source: ecoATM

In the wish-they-had-that-where-I-live category is the ecoATM, an innovative kiosk that offers an on-the-spot trade-in solution for portable electronics. Instead of fussing around with boxes and shipping labels — as is the case with most electronic recycling programs — the ecoATM is a fully automated system that examines your device and gives you the best value — in cash — instantly.

As of now, the kiosks are only available in California (lucky!), and 28 more will soon be installed throughout Texas. Housed in malls and grocery stores, the ecoATM accepts everything from iPhones to MP3 players in all kinds of conditions. The seller does have to divulge some personal information — designed to deter theft, according to the company website. However, you can stop the process and get your device back before confirming the final sale.

EcoATM claims that 75% of the items it receives are reused in some way. For the remaining 25%, the company says it partners with electronic waste facilities to ensure proper disposal and prevention of toxic materials from entering the environment.

Tell us: Would you recycle your electronics if you could access an ecoATM?

Put down the burger and win $1,000

Gail Hoffer — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 18:00:42 +0000

Calling all carnivores: If you need more incentive to cut back on meat consumption, cold hard cash may do the trick. The National American Vegetarian Society will give one lucky nonvegetarian $1,000 for abstaining from all meat, fish and fowl for the entire month of October.

But even if you can’t commit to going meat-free for a month, you can still win something. Prizes also will be awarded for one-day ($250) and one-week ($500) pledges.

Aside from the money, other good reasons to give a vegetarian diet a try, according to the NAVS include:

Reduced risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer;
Water conservation;
Animal welfare; and
Decreased greenhouse gas emissions.

Need some inspiration? Give one of these tasty veggie recipes a try.

Butternut squash soup

Minestrone

Tortellini soup

New FTC guide helps make sense of eco claims

Gail Hoffer — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 20:00:55 +0000

The term “green” has made its way onto so many products that it has almost lost its meaning. Thankfully, the Federal Trade Commission has stepped in to offer a better way for manufacturers to make accurate claims about their products, ensuring that we consumers know exactly what we are buying.

With the help of hundreds of consumers like you and me, along with industry folks, the FTC has revised its “Green Guides” to help marketers make sure that the environmental claims of their products are both truthful and not deceptive.

Among the biggest changes to the guidelines is urging marketers not to make such broad claims on their products as “environmentally friendly” or “eco-friendly.” Claims like these are hard to substantiate and may suggest that these products have more environmental benefits than they actually do.
In addition, the FTC cautions marketers against making claims about a product’s ability to degrade and to take into account that items destined for landfills, incinerators or recycling facilities will not degrade within a year. It also advises that claims about compostability and recyclability be clear and easy for the rest of us to understand.

It is important to remember that these “Green Guides” are just that guides, and you will likely come across so-called “green” products with confusing or even false labeling. If buying eco-friendly products is a priority for you, then be sure to check out the FTC’s guide to shopping green.

Hey, New Yorkers, get your free tree

Gail Hoffer — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 16:04:46 +0000

Yup, you read that right. If you are a resident of New York City, you can pick up your very own free tree this month.

Beginning Oct. 13, if you are a homeowner in NYC, you can stop by various events around the five boroughs to pick up your free tree to plant in a yard, garden, community garden or anywhere else you think would benefit from a new tree.

The New York Restoration Project, which is running the program, expects to give out a total of 1,400 trees. During pickup events, an NYRP rep will be on site to explain how to plant and care for the tree.

The giveaways are part of the MillionTreesNYC initiative, a program launched in 2007 with a goal to plant and care for 1 million new trees across the city’s five boroughs by 2017. So far, more than 612,000 trees have been planted.

If you are an NYC property owner and would like to learn more about the program, click here.

Support these award-winning businesses

Gail Hoffer — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 14:00:41 +0000

With so many businesses claiming to be green, it can be hard to know which ones to support. Thankfully the folks at Green America offer a place to start with the three winners of its first quarterly “People & Planet” award.

Each of the three winners — Sonoma Compost Company, Green Kid Crafts and Raleigh City Farm — will receive $5,000. The winners were chosen by the public through a month-long voting period on Green America’s website.

Sonoma Compost Company

Sonoma Compost Company, of Sonoma, Calif., partners with local schools, nonprofits and local government to promote sustainable agriculture. In 2011, SCC donated more than 830 cubic yards of compost to about 150 school and community gardens. In addition, SCC conducts facility tours for schools and provides on- and off-site public education to more than 1,500 individuals.

Green Kid Crafts

Green Kid Crafts, of Anchorage, Alaska, is a mom-owned company that offers sustainable crafting tools for parents and teachers. Through its green craft kits, it teaches the community about recycling, reducing waste and protecting the environment. Green Kid Crafts partners with its local Boys and Girls Club to bring fun activities, art and learning to children in an impoverished community by hosting free monthly art classes and donating art materials.

Raleigh City Farm

Raleigh City Farm, of Raleigh, N.C., works with the community to transform unexpected downtown spaces into beautiful and nourishing farmland. It then uses these spaces to educate the public about responsible, intensive growing techniques and encourage movement toward a restorative, community-based food system. Its weekly farm stand offers fresh and organically grown food for local residents.

Save water, shower with a friend

Gail Hoffer — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 16:00:46 +0000

Axe, the maker of personal care products for young men, has launched a tongue-in-cheek campaign to encourage young adults to conserve water.

As the name implies, Axe’s “Showerpooling” campaign jokes that one way to save water is by showering with a friend, but does not shy away from the seriousness of the matter. According to its own survey, Axe found that the average shower taken by an 18- to 24-year-old in the United States lasts more than 17 minutes, a full nine minutes longer than the optimum shower time recommended to conserve water.

If you’re a young adult looking for easy ways to save water, visit Axe’s Facebook page and take the Showerpooling pledge for the chance to win a water-efficient showerhead and other green prizes. You should also be on the lookout for the Showerpooling Campus tour for a chance to win a free Delta water-efficient showerhead with H2Okinetic technology and participate in fun challenges for prizes. The campus tour begins Oct. 2 at the University of Southern California.

In addition to giving away great green prizes to lucky students and distributing 7,000 water-efficient showerheads to select colleges and universities, Axe is donating $100,000 to the Alliance for Water Efficiency, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the efficient and sustainable use of water, to fund conservation research projects and provide technical support to water-stressed cities.

Though Axe found that many of you spend more time in the shower than necessary, the bright side is that the majority of you are actively saving water in such ways as installing or planning to install a water-efficient showerhead (65%) or rarely or never keeping the water running while brushing your teeth (64%).

For more fun shower facts (including that 40% of 18-to-24-year-olds surveyed reported showering with one or more people), check out this infographic.

4 small lifestyle changes that make a big environmental difference

Gail Hoffer — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 19:15:08 +0000

Going green doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult, and the start of Fall is a great time to make small changes to your lifestyle that can have a big impact on our world.

Take public transportation: Whether by bus, ferry, subway or rail, using public transportation not only cuts back on carbon emissions, it also can save you a pretty penny — $10,000 a year or more for households, according to the American Transportation Association. And, if you’re in a new city, or not used to using public transport, there are lots of sites, including Mapnificent and HopStop.com to help you navigate your urban landscape.

Eat less meat: “What?! What?! What?!” you exclaim in the style of Kyle’s mom from “South Park.” Before all you carnivores freak out, consider that cutting back on meat consumption can reduce your carbon footprint, minimize water usage and help reduce fossil fuel dependence. Eating less meat can be as simple as skipping meat for one day a week. There’s even a whole movement dedicated to it called “Meatless Monday.” Learn more about it here.

Recycle your gadgets: Before you stock up on the latest technology, make sure you recycle your old gadgets properly. Doing so can help keep landfills free of reusable material and prevent toxins from entering into the environment. Not sure how to recycle your tech stuff? We show you how here.

Be more efficient: Purchasing energy-efficient appliances for your home, such as the ones listed here is not only good for the environment; it can also save you tons of dough. And if the cost of going more efficient seems daunting, homeowners can apply for tax credit. Not a homeowner? Check out Energy Star’s tips for renters.

Try a green brand: There is an eco-friendly version of almost any product you can think of. Need more help finding out which green products make the grade? Check out the Good Guide. Choosing the greener brand doesn’t always mean shelling out more cash — many retailers, including Safeway, Fresh & Easy and Duane Reade have released their own eco-friendly labels.

Have more ideas for going green? Share them with us below.

London Olympic Games go for sustainable gold

Gail Hoffer — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 16:00:34 +0000

Answering the call to be an example of environmental progress, the London Olympic Games promise to pave the way for new a standard in sustainability.

Venues

Understanding that sustainability often begins by making use of what’s already there, the city of London is incorporating its iconic venues of Wimbledon, ExCeL, Lord’s and Earls Court into the 2012 summer games. However, for such an event as the Olympics, the city understandably had to do more, so it built three new venues — the Olympic Stadium, Aquatics Center and Velodrome — which are designed to serve the city for many years to come.

Though building a new stadium poses many environmental challenges, London met them with its Olympic Park. According to the games’ official website, the Olympic Stadium was completed on time and on budget and is the most sustainable Olympic stadium ever built.

Transportation

Already well-known for its “tube,” or subway system, London has long been an excellent city for public transportation. Still, with the influx of people expected to descend upon the city during the games, the system will be tested. To that end, London has ensured visitors and citizens alike that its public transport will be ready. In addition, London is using this opportunity to draw attention to walking and cycling and working with organizations to improve access to walking and cycling routes during the games.

Waste management

Perhaps the biggest sustainability challenge of the Olympic Games will be in the area of waste reduction. To that end, London has set the lofty goal of delivering zero-waste-to-landfill games. While it will prove more difficult to achieve once the games begin, London can be proud that it has achieved 98.5% reuse and 99% recycling of materials in demolition and construction leading up to the event.

Food

From the athletes to the spectators, thousands of people will need to be fed during the Olympic Games, and doing so with the environment in mind won’t be easy. London is committed to delivering sustainably sourced meals that are produced under high ethical standards. To help cut down on waste, less packaging and more reusable materials have been incorporated into the food service.

Accountability

An event such as the Olympics can leave a huge carbon footprint. In order to bring that down, London has pledged to measure its carbon footprint over the entire games. Leading up to the Olympics, the city has used the outcomes of the footprinting assessment to improve its ability to avoid, reduce and substitute carbon emissions associated with delivering the games.

To learn more about sustainability at the 2012 Summer Olympics, click here.

And being green isn’t just for the Olympics. Here in the states, many popular sports teams and venues have made the commitment to sustainability.

[Infographic] Freeze or flee: A survival guide for dangerous animal encounters

Melissa Valliant — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 13:00:14 +0000

Shhh … Did you hear that? I think something’s moving in the bushes. Hear it? Oh God, it’s coming toward us …

Ah, wilderness. Nothing beats getting off the grid for a while for a good hike or camping adventure.

But what happens when you stumble upon a jacked-up black bear cocking its head at you with burning hot saliva shooting off its blade-like cuspids? What about cougars and crocs and rattlers and sharks? Do you run, or do you … duck?

Behold HellaWella’s Freeze or flee: A survival guide for dangerous animal encounters.

In this cheekily illustrated guidebook, you’ll learn what to do — and what not to do — to emerge with your skin intact after brushing up against 16 common and not-so-common creatures of the wild.

View a preview below and click here for the full-size version.